Indoor mask mandates are still in effect. I had to look this up because where I am, indoors in Alexandria, Virginia, more people are not wearing a mask than wearing a mask. I am not in a bar or restaurant, no one is eating. I am indoors. There’s a mask mandate. More people are not wearing a mask than wearing a mask.

19 months into this pandemic, most every person in America that wants to vaccine has had the opportunity to get the vaccine.

19 months into this pandemic, most every person able to wear a mask understands why masks are effective.

19 months into this pandemic, if you’re not wearing a mask indoors, I am assuming you will not wear a mask if asked and possibly are not vaccinated because if you don’t believe the mask science, why would you believe the vaccine science?

19 months into this pandemic, I am getting more and more uncomfortable around unmasked people indoors. I say nothing because face to face interaction with an unmasked person is literally the worse thing I can do for my safety and anxiety.

19 months into this pandemic, I think I may pick up an habit that’s been banned indoors in America for much, much longer than 19 months.

When’s the last time you saw someone smoking a cigarette in a grocery store? Library? Target? Dealership? 

When’s the last time you saw everyone correctly masked in a grocery store? Library? Target? Dealership?

Will I even get ticketed if I smoke ‘em if I got ‘em? Is anyone getting ticketed for violating mask mandates? Also, who’s going to call the cops? If I’m only one smoking indoors in places with unmasked folks, they might put on their mask*?

I do not want to turn back time and normalize indoor smoking. I know smoking is bad for you and the people around you. I know this and would be hard pressed to find anyone that does not know this. Yet a pandemic based on airborne transmission, a pandemic that could end if people wore masks and got the vaccine, rages on. 

I keep writing the same facts over and over because, for some crazy reason, I’m feeling crazier and crazier. I am a parent of a child that’s too young to get vaccinated. This isn’t difficult to grasp, right? I’m going crazy trying to understand why others don’t understand. And if I’m feeling crazier and crazier, why not look crazy? Why not be the one guy lighting up indoors? Worst case scenario, everyone without a mask stays away and I achieve my goal of getting everyone without a mask to flee the premises. 

*I know I’m dreaming. I do not think smoking indoors will encourage anyone to properly mask up. And I have yet to meet a pair of law enforcement officers correctly wearing a mask. I have seen one person covering their mouth and nose but the other person has had their nose exposed. Every time.

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